Connection to Network Rail at Richmond

Removed 7/12/15. I guess there's no need for 378s to go onto the Southern (or SWT).

I know a signaller at Richmond (we park our buses at the same place) and he said he can't remember the last time that connection was used.

So the reason it was removed is that it was never used.

I imagine that the preferred solution these days, with or without the crossover, would be to couple another 378 to it and drag it to the depot.
Although this makes me wonder if it is possible to couple an S stock and 378 should one or the other fail?

I understand Bakerloo trains used to carry an adapter in case they needed assistance from (or to provide assistance to) an NR unit (313 on the Wat-Eus line). Is that still the case?

The double junction at Richmond was removed in about 1972 when they done away with semaphores. there were also 2 electrified sidings at Richmond but I can't remember seeing them used, even during the days when I used to park my buses at Pioneer Coaches yard. the trailing connection was indeed used for EP stock transfers for the NLL.

The origional connection was a main-line running double connection (similar to Wimbledon) facing west from the N L side to the Southern main line. It was fully signalled with the semaphore from NL to Southern on a double bracket at a higher level (indicating main route) than the one to the terminal platforms which obviously was used constantly. There was a railtour using 4cor stock from SR to NL about 1973 or so when the NL was three-railed which had to be pulled over the junction with a class 73 as there was no conductor-rail side ramp on the NL. Stsff paddled up the shoes individually at slow speed on the outward journey. and on the return the driver just cut off all power and coasted over the junction (there was the necessary gap on the SR side). I remember that while waiting for the junction on the NL side the signalman had to try about three times to get the higher semsphore off as it was obviously stiff from lack of use. The connection which has been under discussion was put in when the EPB's came into use and faced east .During the time that the main-line was removed until the present connection was put in there always had been access between the two systems via sidings further East (near Ted Brakell's yard?)

I don't remember if the sidings had four-rail?